Ian Ogilvy and Jonathan Kerrigan join "Sleuth" 2 Dec 02

Wednesday, 20 November, 2002

Ian Ogilvy and Jonathan Kerrigan join "Sleuth" 2 Dec 02

Ian Ogilvy (Andrew) and Jonathan Kerrigan (Milo) will replace Peter Bowles and Gray O Brien in Anthony Shaffer's modern classic thriller Sleuth, at the Apollo Theatre from 2 Dec 02 to 8 Feb 03, when the show will close, two weeks early!

The existing cast of Seamus Dobony, James Forge and Matthew Knott will remain in the show.

Ian Ogilvy is best known as Simon Templar in the TV series "The Saint". His many films include "Waterloo", "The Sorcerers", "Witchfinder General", "Wuthering Heights", "Stranger in the House", "No Sex Please We re British!", "The Day the Fish Came Out" and, most recently, "Death Becomes Her" with Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. He has appeared many times in the West End, including in "Three Sisters" (directed by Elijah Moshinsky), "Rookery Nook", "The Millionairess", "Waltz of the Toreadors", "The Common Pursuit", "Run for Your Wife", "Design for Living". For the last thirteen years he has been living and working in Los Angeles, appearing in American television series such as "Murder She Wrote", "Dharma and Greg", "Murphy Brown", "Diagnosis Murder", an Aaron Spelling series "Malibu Shores", "Babylon 5", "Kung Fu" and many others, including a stint on "Baywatch". Ian has also appeared in several plays in Los Angeles and on American tours. He has won three Dramalogue Awards, a Robby Award and the Los Angeles Times Drama Critics Award. He was nominated for an Ovation (the West Coast's version of the Tony Award). He is also the author of three novels and a play, "A Slight Hangover", which has just been published by Samuel French.

Jonathan Kerrigan is currently to be seen as Steve Traynor in the BBC series "Merseybeat". He was in three series of "Casualty" as Sam Colloby. Other TV credits include "Dinner of Herbs", "The Knock", "Reach to the Moon", "Peak Practice" and "Byker Grove".

Directed by Elijah Moshinsky, Sleuth, opened in July 02 to mixed notices from the popular press: THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, " The play still holds its own, but this should be an evening of fire and ice, fear and loathing; here, it's a rather tepid affair." THE DAILY MAIL says, "Fine revival." THE GUARDIAN says, "Bowles and O'Brien don't spark one another off." THE TIMES says, "Whodunnit still thrills 30 years on." THE INDEPENDENT says, "This tit-for-tat rapier fight rarely loses pace and never gives itself away." TIME OUT says, "Director Elijah Moshinsky...lacks the cruel sense of fun needed to bring out the humour and violence of the writing." ALEKS SIERZ for THE STAGE says, "An undemanding piece of boulevard theatre that is unlikely to appeal to anyone except inveterate cultural nostalgics."

Sleuth was first presented in the West End and on Broadway in 1970. It ran for 8 years in London and 4 years in New York.

A devious, middle aged thriller writer invites an innocent young man to his secluded country home for a talk over drinks. But this is no cosy fireside chat and the two men embark on a series of life and death games within games. In the ensuing mayhem the damp ridden Manor House becomes a prison with only one way out. It's the rules of terror and not tennis that dominate the genteel country setting. This is a thriller about thrillers: a dark psychological drama and study of sexual conflict and jealously that goes beyond the bounds of a whodunnit.